Week 54 - "A cat talked to me once"

June 24, 2019

Hey hey hey! What's up everybody?! Sister Smoot coming to you with a live update on the past week.

Sad news first :( we had the most incredible lesson on Monday night and honestly one of the most spiritual and strongest on my mission. I was able to get special permission for Chase to video call in to have our lesson with Kyle. We set a baptismal date with him for July 13th and he was soooo excited! To say the least, Kyle is one of my favorite miracles of my mission and I love him! Then later down the week it all came crashing down.. Kyle relapsed and decided to talk to his Pastor about meeting with us and because of it, has decided to continue going to his old church. It's heartbreaking!! As Elder Holland says, "I am convinced that missionary work is not easy. Because salvation is not a cheap experience. Salvation was never easy." "Why would we think it would be easy for us when it was never easy for him?" 

On the bright side we are teaching some really funny people. 

-As usual, Bruce made some hilarious comments in our lesson. We asked him what faith was and his response was, "A cat talked to me once" or when we asked him why he liked reading the Book of Mormon and not something like Harry Potter and he says, "because Harry Potter is a witch and the Bible teaches us not to do anything with witches". Aw man, what a character.

-Anand is also so fun to teach, we have been teaching him more about prayer and receiving answers and all he says back to that is, "my daughter prays for me". WELL DONE ANAND! 

- WE SET A BAPTISMAL DATE!! Nicole and Wagner are preparing to be baptized on August 17th, we are so excited for them 😊 

-Sadly, Wen Yu is still praying and not receiving answers. This week she said she is looking for more friends and was invited to a Chinese church (Jehovah's Witness) and she was thinking about going. So please pray for her that she will realize what she has in front of her is Jesus Christ's true church. 

-Sheryl is still doing really good, this week when we taught her she was really able to see the Book of Mormon and bible support eachother. 

We met some other cool people this week, had a Brazilian party and boogied all night long it was a blast! Brazilians really know how to have a good time, make some good food, and force us into a jump house 😉 we played some Pros ball, did some birthday door decorating, and as always preached the Gospel.

Spiritual:

-"However, just like the candy M&M’s come in so many colors but all taste the same, missionary work looks different for every person but all leads to the same thing—bringing souls unto Christ."
-"sometimes in your life you need to visit Gethsemane; and when you have been there, you'll understand repentance."
-"you know you are changing when you lose the desire to look back" 

-In studies I have been reading in Ether and in chapter 3 verse 13 it says, "And when he had said these words, behold, the Lord showed himself unto him, and said: Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you." This really made me question where my faith it at? Do I have the faith required to have Christ's influence in my life? 

I know Christ lives and has the power to manifest himself in our lives just as he did for the Brother of Jared. I am so grateful that I continuously see the hand of the Lord guiding this work. 

Have a wonderful week!